If you think people are rude at Disney........

[Iott Family]

then I you havent been to Washington, DC!! We took our four kids there this past few days and I cant even count the number of incidents we experienced!

I know where all the rude people on the monorail and busses get their training from. The metro rail in DC!! Not one person offered our 4 year old DD a seat while traveling on crowded trains. She had to hang on standing up and precariously braced against one of us while perfectly young healthy adults sat leisurely from stop to stop. Same thing on the tour bus we took yesterday. No one would move their bag from the seat to open up a place for our two youngest to sit and just looked at us like we were lepers when we asked if they minded.....of course they minded! What was I thinking???

And if you think WDW has the monopoly on tour groups, you are so wrong! We missed so many exhibits because of tour groups of 200 or more lining up and backing up the view of various exhibits for 2-3 hours a shot! They secority guards/proprietors at the musuems would post signs stating that you had XX minutes from this point before you could view said exhibit. The Star Spangled Banner was over an hour and half wait backed up just to walk by and view the display. Spring break is NOT the time to see DC for your 1st time. We think maybe October might bring better results!!

Also, public sidewalks are owned and blocked by whom ever chooses to walk in a shoulder to shoulder formation, and if they choose to stop then you better be prepared to brake and take a moment with them because if you say excuse me and try and move around them you get cursed, kicked and shoved I am so in love with humanity

I miss back home where people wave and say "hello" in passing whether they know you or not.

 

[agnes!]

Before you condemn the people who actually live in the Washington, DC metro area for the behavior you experienced on the Metro and at the National History Museum... you do know especially during Spring Break that many of them were tourists from some place else, right? (Like maybe hmmmm, oh I don't know....maybe Indianapolis?...) People who live in DC oftentimes choose to stay away from the Mall and the Smithsonian during peak-visitor times, like around Spring Break or over July 4th, just like Orlando-natives choose to stay away when WDW and Universal are at their most jam-packed.

And going to see the Star-Spangled Banner is always an adventure, everyone wants to see it, it's usually quite crowded.

agnes!

 

[LaraK]

When I was a teenager in DC (born and raised in the city) we used to play "give the tourists the wrong directions"...we thought it was a great game.

 

[Iott Family]

Before you condemn the people who actually live in the Washington, DC metro area for the behavior you experienced on the Metro and at the National History Museum... you do know especially during Spring Break that many of them were tourists from some place else, right? (Like maybe hmmmm, oh I don't know....maybe Indianapolis?...) People who live in DC oftentimes choose to stay away from the Mall and the Smithsonian during peak-visitor times, like around Spring Break or over July 4th, just like Orlando-natives choose to stay away when WDW and Universal are at their most jam-packed.

And going to see the Star-Spangled Banner is always an adventure, everyone wants to see it, it's usually quite crowded.

agnes!

LMAO @ you!

 

[3prettyprincesses]

Completely agree with you Agnes, we stay away from DC during spring break! You couldn't pay me to go during that time! It is ridiculously crowded. Remember there are school trips as well as parents with their kids taking trips to DC now. A better time to go is early May when spring break is over but kids are still in school. The weather is gorgeous, the flowers are in bloom and it won't take you 2 hours to see the US Constitution and the Declaration of Independence at the National Archives!

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I'm sorry you had a bad experience in my city.

Having said that, it wouldn't occur to me to offer a seat to a 4 year old on the metro. I guess if I saw a tourist who was clearly anxious about their child standing, or a child who was falling asleep on their feet, I would, but a healthy alert 4 year old? By that age my 4 year old, had been commuting by metro to daycare for 2 years, and was delighted to be standing, twirling around the pole, walking up and down the train a little (didn't let him get too far from me of course). By 4 he also knew to give up his seat to moms with strollers (because it's nice to be able to be on level with your kid), or elderly people.

We take the PreK kids from our school on field trips on the metro frequently, and have kids standing all the time. There are bars within their reach on the back of every seat. It's also a train, not a bus, so there aren't sudden stops/starts, there's little side to side movement, and if they do fall, the floor is carpeted.

I guess this has been a wakeup call for me, in that I'll watch the faces of parents more clearly -- if they seem anxious about their child standing I'll probably offer a seat, even if I don't think the child needs it, but out of compassion for those parents.

 

[2Kds2K9]

Sorry about your experience, but as other have stated, this is one of the busy seasons for D.C. PLUS, if you were here this week, it's also the Cherry Blossom Festivale. You could not PAY me to go downtown this week or next.

Hope you give DC another chance. Just remember that there are always tour groups here, so be prepared for a bit of a wait at the popular exhibits.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I also wouldn't think to offer a seat to a 4yo. When my own kids were that age they loved to stand.

It's funny that you posted this because as I was driving into DC on Friday I commented that I could tell that it's now tourist season...and that was while I was still in Maryland. That same night a few of my friends were complaining about the tourist....how they block the escalator, etc. I'll have to admit they weren't exactly complimentary towards what they considered annoying behavior....my thought was that they could have been a bit nicer. However, I don't have to commute into DC daily, so perhaps I'd have less patience if I did.

The tour groups can be annoying for sure. Not sure how to get around that, other than tour later in the day after they've left or on weekends.

You were pushed, shoved, and cursed for moving around groups standing on the sidewalk? Wow, I would have blown a gasket!

When I'm walking around the area with groups of friends, we tend to take over the sidewalk....and I'm talking grown women. We're not trying to be rude and actually joke with some people who end up in the middle of our group that it appears that they are now part of our group and are going to dinner with us.

Were you able to see the cherry blossoms? I hope to get into DC to see them in the next few days. I live in the suburbs about 45 minutes away, go into DC usually once a week, and I love it....seriously, every single time I see the Washington Monument (or the big pencil, as I call it) I get goosebumps. Ok, I don't love the traffic and I don't like touring the museums when it's too crowded, but it's such a special city with a lot to offer.

I'm sorry you didn't have a better experience.

 

[LilyWDW]

I wouldn't expect anyone to give a child a seat on a major city metro because the kids in that area are used to standing and commuting. It's a part of living there! Maybe it is not something you are used to, but I have seen the same thing in New York, Chicago, London, Rome, and Munich. It's a part of that city culture...

 

[ead79]

DC is actually our 2nd favorite place to go on vacation after Disney World. I honestly think that a big part of the issues you encountered is that you were there during spring break time. That is a SUPER crowded time of year to visit DC. It's best to try to go when the kids are in school. Of course there will always be some school groups, but at least the crowds are down in general. Personally, I try to tour the National Museum of American History right when it opens, and see the Star Spangled Banner, 1st ladies dresses exhibit, and the section on the Presidents 1st (and of course the Dumbo they have on display, LOL!). That really helped us tour more quickly when we were there last year.

 

[DisGirlAllie]

When I was a teenager in DC (born and raised in the city) we used to play "give the tourists the wrong directions"...we thought it was a great game.

That's what my friends and I do too!

OP, I HIGHLY doubt that locals were the ones who were so rude in your experiences. You have a better chance of finding a red and green spotted dragon named Pippa than a local during this time.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

I agree this has much to do with the time of year - I would love to go at Cherry Blossom time, but would never!( I used to work in DC and have seen the trees before)

we take DD quite often when Dh has to be down there for work. We go during less bus times and our experiences have been very different.

 

[Janet Hill]

I know where all the rude people on the monorail and busses get their training from. The metro rail in DC!! Not one person offered our 4 year old DD a seat while traveling on crowded trains. She had to hang on standing up and precariously braced against one of us while perfectly young healthy adults sat leisurely from stop to stop. Same thing on the tour bus we took yesterday. No one would move their bag from the seat to open up a place for our two youngest to sit and just looked at us like we were lepers when we asked if they minded.....of course they minded! What was I thinking???

I'm from a different era - old folks get offered the seats. I would never think of giving my seat to a four year old.

But do agree, those who use a seat for their bag are obnoxious. I once saw a women standing on the metro with her bag in a seat, and when asked, would not move her bag for someone to sit.

Like other locals, I stay far far away from the tourist areas during spring break.

 

[MIGrandma]

I'm sorry you didn't have such a great vacation, but I personally would stay away from any tourist area during spring break season. Too crowded for me!

As for adults not offering a seat to your 4-year-old, I would not expect an adult to offer my child a seat. A child that young can sit on their parents' lap, or stand. I would offer my seat to an elderly person, but it wouldn't even occur to me to offer it to a child.

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience.

I grew up in DC and just moved from there a few years ago. It is a wonderful city. The rudeness you encountered would not be from native but more from tourists.

This is the worst time of year to visit DC. The weather is pleasant so more locals will be out and about and tourists are there in droves.

 

[merryweather20]

I'm confused as to why you think someone would give up a seat for a child

In fact, I would expect the opposite, that you would not use up a seat for a child, they would either stand beside Mom or sit on her lap.

 

[Sleepy]

In a city like DC, there tends to be a higher concentration of people from other cultures. Expectations, attitudes and customs of one person may be different from others. Doesn't mean one is right and one is wrong....just different. My suggestion for public transportation is to ride with no expectations and you will remain happy.

If traveling with a child and there are no seats, then stand and do the best you can to balance and protect the child from being trampled. I have seen times in my own city where there are so many people crammed on a bus or train that the doors will barely close and often people can't even get on. Those trying to get on will trample those trying to get off and they don't care if you are 4 years old. It can be madness. As far as placing bags in a seat, that would not fly here. Regardless of what the owner of the bags said, they would be removed and the seat would then be occupied by a body.

 

[FireDancer]

I was in DC for the National Half Marathon, got around solely by Metro, and had a great experience (as I always do in DC). Everything you described can be said of any large tourist-destination city as others have said.

 

[aprilgail2]

I'm confused as to why you think someone would give up a seat for a child

In fact, I would expect the opposite, that you would not use up a seat for a child, they would either stand beside Mom or sit on her lap.

I can't say I understand that either- in fact if I am on a train with my child and an adult gets on and has no seat I will have my kid get up so THE ADULT can sit down! If its an elderly couple with no seat then we both get up for them....I would never have my child sit while an adult stands

 

[Iott Family]

Tough to do when mom can't get a seat either. But I guess using your logic, if the ship is sinking, screw the children, they are young enough to swim. I will stick with good old fasioned manners and values.